


Keeping Christmas

by rubygirl29



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Christmas stories, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-19
Updated: 2011-12-19
Packaged: 2017-10-27 15:42:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/297436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rubygirl29/pseuds/rubygirl29
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Earth baffles Ronon, but he understands John Sheppard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keeping Christmas

[   
](http://s668.photobucket.com/albums/vv46/library_rose/?action=view&current=keeping.jpg)

**Keeping Christmas**

Red. Stop. Green. Go. Walk. Don't Walk. Street Food. Top of the Mark. Nob Hill. Alcatraz. VISA, Mastercard. ATM. Debit. Credit. Whole Foods. 7-Eleven ... Earth was a a knot of confusion and contradiction.

Atlantis had not prepared him for Earth.

Ronon wondered if there were something wrong with him. Teyla seemed to be acclimatizing with grace. Torren was already in a "play group" at SGC, Kanaan seemed at peace and amused. Ronon felt awkward, wrong-footed, confused. Teal'c helped, but he occasionally seemed as baffled as Ronon, unable to answer his questions. McKay was short-tempered and sarcastic, Zelenka wasn't American ... his rituals and traditions were different, as were Beckett's.

He was rooting through the library at SGC when Daniel Jackson walked in. He paused, raised a finger and backed off. "Sorry."

"Wait. I have a question."

Jackson frowned thoughtfully. "I don't know if I have the answer," he said, "But I can probably figure out where to find it."

Ronon blushed. "It's not that kind of question. It's about Earth. About customs."

"O...kay. That I should be able to answer."

"What's going on around here? Why is Lieutenant Cadman walking around with green leaves in her hair? Vala was hanging a twig of something from the mess doorway. Why?"

"It's Christmas. "

"Yeah. I know. We had Christmas on Atlantis." He didn't want Jackson to think he was a total misfit.

Jackson just nodded sympathetically. "Pretty low-key, right?"

"Not like this," Ronon said. "TV. Nothing but Christmas movies and how to bake ... cookies. And commercials."

"Christmas is a big deal on Earth. It's the one day that people ... well, most people who are Christians, celebrate the birth of Christ by putting aside our petty differences and celebrating family and friends. We give gifts because Christ was the gift of our salvation."

Ronon nodded thoughtfully. He knew about Christ. He'd asked Sheppard who had taken him to the Atlantis chaplain, a kind man, who had patiently explained Christianity. He had asked Ronon about Satedan religion. Ronon hadn't known how to explain that his people hadn't worshipped one god, but had celebrated life, the seasons, the birth of children, the beauty of natural death. He had stopped believing in his childhood faith when he saw his first culling.

"Umm ... are we done?" Jackson asked. Like McKay, he usually had about ten things going on in his mind at the same time. Ronon understood that.

"I want to ... " He didn't want to bother Jackson with anything else. He stopped and shook his head. "Thanks."

"Anytime."

He wandered towards the mess. As he went through the door, Vala grabbed him and tugging at his dreads to bring him down to her level, kissed him on the mouth. "Merry Christmas!"

Ronon was too startled to react. "Um, thanks." He quickly stepped out of the doorway. "What was that about?"

"Mistletoe ... I love the holidays." She smiled up at him. "Otherwise, I'd never get to kiss all these handsome men. Excuse me ..." She nabbed Lorne as he came through the door, followed by Cam, who didn't get a kiss. "You, I know too well," she sighed. Then looked from him to Lorne, who was blushing furiously. "Ah, well. It's true," she sighed. "Married or --"

Cam grabbed her arm and glared at her. "Don't say it. Don't even _think_ it," he warned.

"My lips are sealed. At least I've got Daniel ... and more mistletoe!" She waggled her fingers at them and left.

Lorne looked at Ronon. "She got you, too," he said.

"Your planet is weird."

Lorne grinned. "You should see Kansas."

"Don't diss my home state," Cam said. "Haight-Ashbury boy."

Ronon didn't understand a word of that conversation. "I have a question."

"Sure. Let me get some coffee," Lorne said. "Colonel?"

"You know how I like it, _Colonel_." He grinned at Evan and at the insignia on Lorne's BDUs.

Ronon was happy for Lorne. He liked Mitchell a lot. He reminded him of Sheppard. Lorne returned with coffee. "So, what's the question?"

"I need to go off-base."

"I'll have to talk to Landry, since Colonel Sheppard isn't here." Sheppard was on Atlantis for several days, but even at SGC, that bit of news was strictly need-to-know. "Why?"

Ronon leaned forward. "I want to shop."

Lorne smiled. "Got it."

^*^*^*^*^*^*^

In the end, it wasn't difficult to persuade Landry to let Ronon off-base with Lorne and Mitchell. It wasn't as if Ronon had never been on Earth before, and this would only be for a few hours. Once his shopping was finished, they went to the curiously named Pegasus Pub for beer and burgers, before returning to SGC.

"Thanks," Ronon said as they left Landry's office after reporting back.

"You're welcome." Lorne smiled. "I've got leave for the holidays, so I won't be here, but I'll be at Cam's if you need anything."

"I'm good."

After they left, he sought out Jackson again. He was in his lab, which was less like a lab than McKay's, and more like a museum or a workshop with tools and wood and interesting objects from distant civilizations.

Jackson looked up from a piece of parchment as Ronon knocked. "Can I come in?"

"More questions?" Daniel took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.

"Just one ... and not that kind of question. Can I work in here? Borrow some tools?"

"Just don't --"

Ronon sighed. "I know. Don't touch anything that looks old, valuable, or like it will explode."

Daniel smiled. "Help yourself."

"Thanks." He seemed to be saying that a lot. He went over to the workbench and took out his purchases, setting them out on the bench carefully. He worked steadily for several hours until he was satisfied with what he had made. He wrapped it up carefully and was about to thank Jackson again when he realized that the scientist had fallen asleep at his desk, his head cushioned on his arms, his glasses askew. Ronon tugged off Jackson's glasses so they wouldn't get bent, and turned off his desk lamp before leaving the lab.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
Christmas Eve and Sheppard was still not back at SGC. Ronon wandered the halls a bit aimlessly, heading towards the workout room. With Lorne away, and Teal'c off-world, there weren't many sparring partners on the base. He missed Teyla. Her family had been invited to spend the holiday with Sam and Cassie. Vala was with Laura Cadman, which kind of alarmed Ronon. Lorne and Mitchell were together. Who knew where Jackson was for the holiday?

He arrived at the gym and wrapped his hands to use the heavy bag. He worked hard, needing some sort of release. He wondered about holidays, why some people were alone and others sought out company. He wondered why Sheppard hadn't gone to his home to be with his brother. It wasn't Ronon's holiday; he understood family, however.

The bag danced under his fists, sweat poured down his face and back. Finally, he felt worn out and loose enough to ease off. When he had finished, he went to the locker room to shower. He missed the showers on Atlantis which always seemed to know what temperature his body needed. This would do, he chided himself for being soft and spoiled. He soaped up, stood under the shower head and rinsed out his dreads. He'd gotten plenty of curious looks while he was out with Lorne and Mitchell. Maybe it was time to change.

He felt a movement behind him. Instinct took over and he whirled, pinning the intruder against the tiles. "Whoa! Chewie ..."

Sheppard, naked, the pulse in his throat beating against Ronon's forearm. Ronon relaxed his choke-hold and leaned in for a kiss. Brief, wet, on the verge of chilly. "You're back."

"I said I'd be home for Christmas."

Ronon stepped back and turned off his shower. "I know. I was waiting." He wanted to stay, wanted to make love with Sheppard sleek and wet in his arms, but the risk was too great, and there would be other times without the possibility of prying eyes. He dressed in his Earth clothes.; jeans and a long-sleeved black sweater. "I'll be in the mess." He left Sheppard to finish his shower.

Sheppard met him in the mess a few minutes later. His hair was still damp and spiked up where his cowlicks were untamed. He sat at the table, a plate of Christmas cookies and a glass of milk in front of him. Ronon drank hot tea and ate some of Sheppard's Christmas cookies. "How's Atlantis?"

"It feels ... lonely." Ronon knew Sheppard wasn't referring to the empty corridors, but to the city itself.

"Maybe next Christmas we'll be back where we belong."

"Maybe." John finished his milk. "Let's get out of here. Go home."

"Home?"

"I sublet a condo in Mitchell's development from another Air Force officer. Four weeks. Landry agreed that as long as I stayed with you, we could go there."

Ronon gave John a slow, happy smile. "I can deal with that."

"Pack up and let's get out of here. No tree, but we'll light a fire."

Thirty minutes later they were pulling into a driveway. Ronon had been surprised that it was nearly dusk when they left Cheyenne mountain. He had lost all perspective spending time in the complex tunnels and caves beneath SGC. The ground was covered with a light dusting of snow, and more was falling, leaving small, chilly traces on his skin. Sheppard was standing at the front door, staring at a wreath. "Nice touch," he said, then turned to Ronon. "Condo association," he hazarded a guess. Ronon shrugged, looked up.

"Mistletoe," he said.

"Not the condo association. Remind me to throw snowballs at Mitchell." He grabbed a fistful of Ronon's leather coat and pulled him down for a kiss. His lips were cold, but his mouth was warm. Ronon was in no hurry to give up the mistletoe. No sense in defying local rituals, he decided.

Sheppard was fumbling with the door even as they kissed, finally getting the key to turn. He shoved the door open and dragged Ronon inside to continue the kiss in private. It took a while, but they finally came up for air. Reluctantly, Ronon stepped back from the kiss. "Hey, look. We've got a tree."

They did. A compact live spruce decorated with tiny white lights and gold and blue ornaments. Sheppard looked at a small tag and laughed. "It's from SG-1."

He looked so young in that soft illumination; the Christmas lights reflecting in his eyes, glittering on the droplets of melting snow on his hair. "Cool," he said, grinning up at Ronon. "Now, the fire."

Ronon was used to Earth tech and he heartily approved of the instant-on fireplace. He didn't feel like chopping wood even if there had been someplace to find it. He peeled off his leather coat and took his bags to the master bedroom. The bed was huge. King-sized. Ronon sighed happily. After sleeping in the cramped bunks at SGC, his body was screaming for a good stretch. He took out the small wrapped Christmas present. It wasn't much, but it was something.

He went into the living room where Sheppard was sitting on the couch, a beer in hand, his legs stretched out towards the fire. He had changed from his BDUs to jeans and a dark blue sweater. Ronon sat next to him. He held out the package. "Here."

Sheppard looked startled, but he took the present and opened it carefully. He studied the leather cuff, his thumb moving over the smooth tooled hide. Small green, blue and silver beads were braided into a leather thong that wove in and out of the edges of the cuff. It wasn't wide enough to hinder his shooting, the leather was supple and well-worked. He slid it over his hand and held his wrist out to Ronon. "Tighten it?"

Ronon tied the ends of the thong, drawing the leather closer to Sheppard's wrist. He cleared his throat. "The blue is for the sky, the green is for the earth, the silver beads are for the stars. The design is Satedan ... it's like my tattoo."

"I see that. You made this for me?"

Ronon nodded. "It's a Christmas present."

Sheppard looked slightly panicked. "I haven't shopped -- I mean, I'm sorry I don't have a gift here for you."

"You gave me a gift."

"I did? When?"

"Four years ago when you saved me. You gave me my life back. You gave me a home. You gave me a family. You gave me ..." He stopped, feeling the heat of tears in his eyes. "You gave me ... everything, and then you loved me."

"I did all that?" Sheppard seemed surprised and touched, as if he hadn't known how deeply his trust had changed Ronon's life. He reached out to Ronon, slid his hand beneath his dreadlocks, rested his palm there, warm and hard. "I love you."

"I know."

Sheppard gave him a hard kiss. "I found steaks in the fridge courtesy of Cam and Evan."

"I want something more than food," Ronon said, kissing Sheppard back in a long, gentle, leisurely exploration of his mouth. He tasted so damn good. He tasted like sugar and vanilla, he tasted like home.

"I understand, now," Ronon whispered against Sheppard's lips. "Why people here keep Christmas."

"Yeah, it's okay. It's important. No matter how bad things are, we keep Christmas."

Ronon thought that in his life he had kept many things; memories, despair, revenge, grief; but not hope, not joy, not love. He decided that while Earth baffled him, he understood John Sheppard perfectly.

 **The End**

  
  


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